Reality of renting in Australia: Roaches, mould, fear of eviction and rent hikes

The mouldy, infested reality of renting in Australia has been laid bare in a new survey.

Twenty per cent of Australian rentals have mouldy bathrooms, a new survey has found.

Research from the Australian Council of Social Service and the University of NSW has found on top of the mouldy bathrooms, some 70 per cent of tenants are too scared to ask for repair work for fear of copping a rent increase.

“This report validates what renters across Australia already know. Despite extensive rental laws on paper, this report exposes the stark gap between legislation and reality for Australian renters,” National Association of Renters’ Organisations spokesman Leo Patterson Ross said.

“Weak oversight of rental costs, property standards and industry practices have denied renters the benefits of a safe, stable and healthy home.”

A survey of 1000 Australian renters found 20 per cent have mouldy bathrooms. Picture: Supplied

The social services council and university surveyed 1019 people who rent in the private sector across the country.

The survey found 73 per cent of renters had a rent increase in the past year; a third of renters said a 5 per cent hike would make it difficult to cover rent.

About one-in-three rental houses had cockroaches or ants, a quarter had leaks or flooding and 18 per cent had mould in the bathroom.

Tenants fear that asking for repairs to be done can lead to rent hikes (68 per cent) or evictions (56 per cent).

Social services council chief executive, Cassandra Goldia, said the housing market was failing.

“It is completely unacceptable that people in the private rental market are nervous about asking for essential repairs because they fear a rent increase or eviction notice,” Dr Goldie said.

Advocates say there are large gaps between rental laws and the protections for tenants in reality. Picture: NewsWire / David Crosling

“Everyone deserves to be able to live in secure homes without the constant fear of losing their home.

“We urge state and federal governments to work together to cap rent increases, abolish no-grounds evictions and boost social housing to ensure people on low incomes have safe, secure and affordable homes.”

The university, social services council, National Shelter and the National Association of Renters’ have identified five points to address concerns stemming from the report.

First, legislated national limits on the amount and frequency of rent increases.

No-grounds evictions and further renter protections are the second point the group says need to be addressed.

Funding boosts to tenant advice services, raising income support and Jobseeker payments and finally a boost to the number of social houses are on the group’s to-do list.